Angry residents are calling for a Cheltenham rat run to be blocked to through traffic amid fears it is "only a matter of time" before a fatal car crash on the road.

Locals say they fear for their safety on St Paul's Road — a residential street with a 30mph limit — because of "boy racers", narrow pavements and air pollution from heavy traffic.

The St Paul's Road Area Residents Association (SPRA) believes too many traffic lights on the nearby A4019 has led to their street being used as an alternative by drivers.

Residents fear for their safety on St Paul's Road

Having become concerned that the closure of Boot's Corner will push more cars towards St Paul's Road, SPRA plans to start a petition for bollards to be put in place across it, blocking through traffic.

There have been several accidents on the road in recent years, including a crash which destroyed the garden walls of two properties in March last year.

Daud McDonald, a 50-year-old handyman and SPRA member, said: "I am surprised there has not been a fatality yet. It is only a matter of time.

"It can take ten minutes to cross the road in some traffic. This should be a quiet residential area.

"When there is a lot of traffic, there are fumes, and when there is not a lot of traffic, the danger is the speed of cars.

"I used to push my children in buggies, and we couldn't go on certain parts of the pavement because the traffic comes too close."

Mr McDonald fears the effect of the air pollution on his two sons, aged seven and nine.

He said: "You can taste the fumes. My son has been hospitalised with asthma, and there is no history of it in my family.

"If you leave the window open, you will notice the dust."

Gloucestershire County Council is set to implement a 20mph speed limit on the road, which could be in place by next spring according to Councillor Jon Walklett, who represents the St Paul's ward for Cheltenham Borough Council.

St Paul's Road garden walls destroyed in March 2016

But Mr McDonald does not believe this measure will be successful.

"Drivers don't comply with the 30mph limit, so why would they comply with a 20mph one?" he asked.

"Numerous times over the last ten years we have been trying to get the council to take action on this road.

"Is that the best they can come up with in ten years? It is unenforceable."

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Coun Walklett said: "This has been getting worse since I have been councillor, hence us seeking a 20ph speed limit, which will act as a deterrent.

"It stems from the chaotic situation on St Margaret's Road, and the stop-start nature of the traffic there, which is jampacked.

Councillor Jon Walklett

"It is potentially a public safety issue on St Paul's Road. Youngsters do sometimes rev their cars up and down."

Responding to SPRA's calls for a barricade, the councillor added: "I don't think you can literally block the road off, because it could cause issues for some St Pauls Road residents getting to work."

He also pointed out that Martin Surl, Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire, has stressed the importance of enforcing 20mph speed limits.

Rob Vale, local highways manager at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “The changes at Boots Corner form part of the wider Cheltenham Transport Plan which we are delivering for Cheltenham Borough Council.

“We’ve met with the residents of St. Paul's Road as well as the residents association and the local county councillor to discuss their concerns. We are considering various proposals to address residents’ these, including the reduction in the speed limit.

“However there are no current proposals to block the road to through traffic by bollards in the middle.”